Skookin
Skookins — Creature, Otherworlder What A kind of Goblin Books / Stories Appear In * Dreams Underfoot — ** "Stone Drum" Defining Description Bands of ill-mannered goblin-like creatures that Riddell called Skookin—a word he’d stolen from old Scots which meant, variously, ugly, furtive and sullen. About Skookin is Riddell's name for them—means: Ugly, furtive and sullen. Residence Many reside in Old City in bands under the city of Newford. Characteristics * Skookins have pumpkin-like heads * Religious artifacts and trappings require faith—a belief in their potency that the skookin undoubtedly don’t have. * The only thing that works on them is the truth—“Tell them the truth—even it’s only historical facts and trivia—and they’ll shun you as though you were carrying a plague.” Appearance Patchwork figures—A pumpkinhead under a wide-brimmed hat. A larger pumpkin for the body with what looked like straw spilling outfrom between the buttons of its too-small jacket. Arms and legs as thin as broom handles. A wide slit for a mouth; eyes like the sharp yellow slits of a jack-o’-lantern with a candle burning inside. Threats burning in their candle-flicker eyes. Wide mouths open in jack-o’-lantern grins, revealing rows of pointed teeth. Nature Other Details *Meran said she called them Bodachs where she comes from and Christy's name; "Skookin" sounds silly to her. Later she said that maybe Christy wan't two wrong: “Ugly, furtive and sullen,”— these creatures were weaned on malevolence. *Jilly's Dream: Goon was being served by Bramley and he was warning Jilly that Skookin are real—as he did, his head turned pumpkin-like and he said "that means you are in trouble". History / Background Christy Riddell's short story "The Man With the Monkey": Chrity's story of stolen apple that was withered and moldy in Old City but became solid gold when it was brought above ground. The man who’d stolen itfrom the Skookin was found in little pieces scattered all over Fitzhenry Park. — Underhill and Deeper Still: (collection of urban legends of Old City) ("Stone Drum—Dreams Underfoot) Characters Skookin Characters To expand table in editor: right-press on a row of the table or (Control-press: Mac)—choose add Other Characters Connections To expand table in editor: right-press on a row of the table or (Control-press: Mac)—choose add Events in the Series (spoilery area) ✥ "Stone Drum": Jilly took an artifact from them in Old City. Prof Dapple told her she must return it or they will be afar her. That night she saw pumpkin heads around her loft through the window. Frightened, she contacted Meran Kelledy for help who let her stay at the Kelledy House. That night, they charged the house but it was stopped by the Oak trees surrounding it when they became animated by the wind. They all left. Meran said these were not at all like the Bodachs from her homeland—these creatures were weaned on malevolence. Meran discovered that Jilly had been "marked" by them. On the journey into Old City, Goon joined Meran and Jilly. when they arrived at the gathering of Skookin around a dias, they saw a figure ~ "Stone Drum" — Dreams Underfoot Quotes See Also * Bodachs * Goon * Newford Series External Links *Charles de Lint - Dreams Underfoot Category:Creatures